Kelly Clarkson has been criticized for saying that she hits her kids when they do something wrong.
In an interview with Atlanta radio station 94.1 in 2018, the 41-year-old musician said this. The clip has recently resurfaced and become a hot topic online.
“I’m not above getting spanked, which isn’t something everyone likes. I don’t mean to hit her hard; I just want to give her a spanking,” the talk show host said.
She then admitted that she sometimes spanks her daughter in public, saying, “That’s hard to do when you’re out in public because people think it’s wrong or something, but I don’t see anything wrong with that.”
The singer of “Because of You” also talked about her own experiences with physical discipline. She said that even though her parents spanked her as a child, she is still a “well-rounded person with a lot of character.”
“”My parents hit me, and I turned out fine”. “I’m from the South, y’all, so we get spankings,” she said. “If I ever got sent to the principal’s office, my mom would call and tell her it was okay to spank me.”
“Clarkson loves her two kids, River Rose, 8, and Remington Alexander, 6, who she has with her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock.
During the” conversation, the musician also said that “she gives her daughter a warning before she” punishes her, which she thinks has helped her child behave better.
“I say, ‘”Hi, I’m going to spank you on the bottom if you don’t stop right now, this is ridiculous,’ and it’s really helped”.
“She doesn’t do that kind of stuff as often,” she said.
Kelly Clarkson, Remington Alexander Blackstock, and River Rose Blackstock, her two children.
After the clip emerged on Twitter, Clarkson’s controversial parenting style became a topic of conversation. Some people criticized the ‘Since U Been Gone’ singer, while others didn’t think it was that big of a deal.
One Twitter user said, “I think kelly clarkson is a stupid bleee for bragging about how she spanks her 1 and 2 year old to show them tough love. She better pray to god that cps doesn’t show up and take her kids away.” Another said, “kelly clarkson lost all my respect when I read that she spanks her kids.”
i think kelly clarkson is one stupid bleee bragging on twitter how she spanks her 1 and 2yr oldto show tough love she better pray to god that cps dont show up and take her children away
— shawndanner (@shawndanner6) January 11, 2018
kelly clarkson lost all my respect the moment i read that she spanks her children
— such nerve! (@suchnerve) November 15, 2020
Others, though, rushed to the star’s defense, and some even said they got worse punishments than a spanking as kids.
“Why the f*** are people upset with @kelly_clarkson for hitting her kids? You all got weak. She hits, but doesn’t hurt, and f****** abuses. So many times, my parents have hit me in the behind. #AfricanBeatings.”
“Kelly Clarkson said she spanks her kids, and now her show is being canceled. Society is sad. Spanks are not the same as beatings, and beatings are not the same as ass whoppings,” said another person.
A third person even “rolled their eyes” at the hate, saying, “So, you guys are mad that Kelly Clarkson spanks her kids?
Why the fuck are people mad @kelly_clarkson about spanking her children 😭LMFAOOOO Y'all became soft. She spanks not bruises and fucking abuses. I've gotten my ass whooped so much times by my parents 😂#AfricanBeatings.
— Shade ☕️ (@TheBooksOfShade) January 12, 2018
Kelly Clarkson said she spanks her children and now she’s being canceled- 🤷🏽♀️😩🤦🏽♀️🥹👀🤔 society is sad – spanking is different from beatings and beatings are different from ass whoppings
— Da_Real_1stLady (@1stlady_J86) December 26, 2022
So y'all mean to tell me… y'all are mad that Kelly Clarkson spanks her children? *GIANT EYE ROLL*
— Arianna Jonae (@AriannaJonae) January 12, 2018
Clarkson seems to know that beating kids is a controversial topic because she told 98.9 The Buzz that it can be “tricky” to talk about.
“It’s hard when you’re in public and people think you’re doing something bad. “I think spankings are fine,” she said in an interview.